As much as I enjoy a good cake, I don’t actually make them all that often. I’m never quite sure if I’m going to get them right, and since I’m usually just baking for two, it feels like a waste to mess up a whole cake. But, I’ve been trying my hand at them more and more, and this recipe feels just the right speed. It’s simple, it’s effective, it uses ingredients I always have on hand, and it’s incredibly moist and dark.
The key to this cake is coffee, as you might imagine. It’s not a new innovation, but it IS a good one. I think a version of this recipe can be traced all the way back to a Hershey cookbook in the 80s, and the actual recipe probably comes from even earlier.
Stay tuned in the future; I plan to use this recipe to make a layered cake later. Did anyone say Chocolate Cherry? Not yet? I will.
Tips for the cake:
- Use decent coffee. If your coffee is bitter, that bitterness will come through in an unpleasant way.
- Use good cocoa powder. I really like WinCrest’s cocoa powder, it’s leagues tastier than just plain Hershey cocoa powder.
- Cut a circle of parchment paper for the bottom of your springform pan to make it easier to work with later. I forgot to this time so my cake kind of stuck a little.
Other than that, it’s a simple recipe! Just mix the ingredients, pour in, and bake.
Rich Dark Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Springform Pan
- Frosting Spatula
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 14 Tbsp Flour Half a cup plus six Tbsp.
- 6 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Cup Strong-brewed Coffee Cooled to room temperature.
- ½ Cup Buttermilk
- ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Frosting
- ⅓ Cup Cocoa Powder
- ¼ Cup Melted Butter
- 1½ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 7 Tbsp Milk
- ½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease or line your cake pan or springform pan with parchment paper.
- Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the dry mix and pour in the coffee, buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Mix well to combine; it'll be a thin-seeming batter.
- Pour the batter into your cake pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before trying to remove it from the pan. Then, let it finish cooling on a cooling rack or counter.
- Make the frosting by beating together the cocoa powder and butter until it's smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and most of the milk, and beat until it's a fluffy consistency. If it's too thick, add more milk a tbsp at a time.
- Frost the cake, cut a slice, and enjoy!